Building fever continues to grip Buffalo City with a whopping 51% increase in the estimated cost of building plans approved by the municipality for the first six months of the year - up over R119 million compared to the same period last year.

The municipality approved 1,972 plans from January to June this year at an estimated cost of R352.5m compared to last year's 1,624 plans at an estimated cost of R233.4m.

In June alone, 295 plans approved at an estimated cost of just over R54.8m showed a 16,7% increase on the 253 plans approved in June 2004 at an estimated cost of just over R46.9m. June's estimated cost was also R7.7m up on the monthly average of R47m.

Building for the East London Industrial Development Zone in June contributed to the month's favourable figures with R3.2m worth of building plans approved for the West Bank and Chester Road premises.

Seven new houses in the King William's Town Golf Club extension, at a combined total of R1.1m, and two office developments in Gonubie and Berea worth over R1m each pushed the total for the month of June up further.

Daily Dispatch
 
Publisher: Business Day
Source: Inet Bridge